Buying a Hunter - should I?

[gouldsborough7]

I sold my Berli and bought a nearly-new family wagon (partly financed by the Berli cash). I thought that my days with kit-cars were over, but occasionally I am getting withdrawal symptoms!!

So now I've seen a couple of ads for 1995 Hunters, both low mileages, both 2 litre Ford DOHC (1 with weber and the other with injection) and in good nick, with a ticket for just under £5k. My wife will go potty, but I am tempted to take the plunge to buy (subject to pacifying her).

Being factory assembled with new parts, the Hunter should remove the risk of somebody's bodge-ups. They are a bit plain compared to my Berli, but that only gives me scope to improve. I believe only 80 were built by Marlin, which possibly makes them more 'collectable' than most others.

Has anybody got any experiences or ideas to offer me? Somehow I have got to resolve this issue, one way or another.

Cheers
Mike

[terryreed1664]

Re: Buying a Hunter - should I?

Go on Mike you know you really want to.

Reason 1. It's a Marlin
" 2. It's a Rare Marlin
" 3. You bought all those nice shiny tools to work on it
" 4. It keeps the grey matter working
" 5. And it keeps you out trouble, well sometimes
" 6. When your bored you'll get up to no good

Terry

[greyV8pete]

Re: Buying a Hunter - should I?

As the man says "Go for it, you know you want to"! Now my engine is sorted my Hunter is what I always dreamed of. You sit about 4" lower in a Hunter than a Berli and the view along the bonnet is great. However a word of caution. A factory built car will eliminate the risk of an amateur builder's bodge ups but,unless you know the history of the car, or the previous owner(s), there have still been 14 years of ownership and garage servicing to add to the possibility of bodge ups and close encounters of a different kind :-0. Oh and don't forget to check / sort out the rear wheel toe-in (see earlier MOC forum thread and Derek Jones magic shims info in Pitstop). I haven't sorted mine yet and have nearly got through another set of rear tyres for my laziness! Peter.

[gouldsborough7]

Re: Buying a Hunter - should I?

Thanks Guys
My sentiments entirely. Just have to convince the missus that this car is an investment, and might be a way of keeping some of our savings from disappearing out of sight, unlike banks and stocks & shares!

Cheers
Mike

[gouldsborough7]

Re: Buying a Hunter - should I?

Guys
Quick question: is a decent-looking factory assembled Hunter likely to retain its value say over the next couple of years? This is my gambit to my wife (with tongue in cheek!)

Cheers
Mike

[lizbillings]

Re: Buying a Hunter - should I?

Hi Mike. It depends on how much you pay. Cabrio's have gone down in price considerably over the last few years as there are more about. Also depends on long or short wheelbase.
Regards Liz

[gouldsborough7]

Re: Buying a Hunter - should I?

Hi Liz
The car I have tentatively lined up will cost just under £5k, on an S-reg plate. There is a small brass plaque on the dash with the original (woman) owner's name, & made by Marlin in 1998.

Apparently, she is the original owner, and the car was to her spec: red bodywork (not 2-tone) reclining white leather seats, matching door trims, electric windows, red carpets, 2 litre Ford Double Overhead Camshaft engine, fuel injection, fancy-looking radio. Looks good overall, with a few small dinks to body.

Didn't realise that there was a short or long wheelbase option. Has no space behind the front seats. The boot-lid has the spare-wheel cover, but strangely does not have a spare-wheel. DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHERE A SPARE CAN BE BOUGHT? Presumably, it has to be a 'skinny' one to fit the limited space in the cover, and doesn't need to be alloy or any special tyre - just a get you home model.

Cheers
Mike

[CABRIOBOB]

Re: Buying a Hunter - should I?

Just tell her that the Hunter will hold its price and when you come to sell it many years later she would have not remembered, or ditch her and buy the Hunter then you will not have a problem. Women have there uses !!! but when it comes to cars they are a pain.

[danny_nelson]

Re: Buying a Hunter - should I?

Hi Mike this is a car that Uxbridge kitcars has for sale. The 8 valve twin cam is a matter of personal choice. The hard wheel cover on the boot lid will allow a smaller section tyre on a Sierra rim to fit under it like a space saver. I use a space saver. You could take the hard cover off and purchase a fifth alloy and either leave it uncovered like your Berlinetta was or use a soft cover. A member went to look at this car, travelled from the far North and told me that there was just to many niggles with the car and did not buy it. Now that the cars are not made anymore and have been about since 1991 there is no difference in value between factory built or owner built. Value is arrived at by the build quality, spec, engine, extras, etc. Take your time and compare with others. Or if you prefer I will find you a car to suit your requirements.
Regards
Danny.

[danny_nelson]

Re: Buying a Hunter - should I?

Sorry Mike I told you wrong about the spare, the car would have to be the early hard tail without the boot lid to fit a fifth alloy, I was forgetting. A space saver type it would have to be with the Hunter that you are talking about.
Regards Danny.

[gouldsborough7]

Re: Buying a Hunter - should I?

Thanks Danny for the info.
It is the Uxbridge Kitcars motor, and on limited inspection it looks fairly good. The white seats need a clean, and there was a dink in the radiator surround amd a couple of tiny distortions in one of the bonnet halves. Apparently was built for and owned by a Miss somebody (with a Marlin plaque on the dash showing her name & 1998).

Recorded mileage was just under 9 thou. Didn't have loads of tread on the tyres for this mileage. Going to have a closer look at the weekend, with the missus on tow. If you have any further thoughts, I would be obliged.

Bob, am definitely hanging on to the wife!

Cheers
Mike